How to Mitigate Storm Damage On Your Roof

Storms are never fun and have been known to cause widespread damage when severe enough. Just last year, New Zealand got hit by a not-so-common weather phenomenon: hail. A hailstorm is a storm which drops not water droplets, but irregular chunks of ice. Now, heavy rainfall is common for most New Zealand rooves. But, chunks of solid ice falling from the sky? That’s a different story.

Making sure your home is properly protected starts with your roof. Whichmakes it especially important to protect your roof from severe storm damage from, the likes of hail, heavy rain and strong wind. Here’s how to do it, including initial preparations and regular roof maintenance.

Initial Preparations

When choosing a new roof, go for the sturdier ones right away. Avoid metal and wood shingles as much as possible but if you really want to go for these styles, make sure you coat or reinforce these shingles as necessary.

Metal can hold up well enough, but it’ll easily dent and deform when hit.Over time, these dents can develop into holes.

Wood is weak against hail altogether but can be eurathane coated or sealed —it’s self-explanatory. Go for asphalt shingles, slate, or even “modified” asphalt shingles. The latter is often made of rubber-type materials on which hail can just bounce off.

Take note of hailstorm warnings in your locale as well. Do not wait for a hailstorm warning to be issued; take action immediately. Consider having a trusted professional inspect your roof for possible signs of decay. Even if your roof doesn’t show obvious signs of deterioration, it’s still better to be safe than sorry. Even a small crack in the shingles can cause water from the melting ice chunks to seep in.

Have Professionals Install a Replacement Roof

If your roof has suffered substantial damage from a storm and you think your roof needs replacement, do notdo it on your own. Hire a professional to do it for you. Getting a professional opinion could save you time and money in the long run. After all the lifespan and overall durability of your roof depends on its proper installation and maintenance.

Sign Up For Insurance

There are numerous options to insure your roof from hail damage. But, take note that insurance companies may question a claim for two reasons: the damage might not look apparent at first glance or it is merely cosmetic.

Document hailstorm damage extensively if you want to get what you’re owed. You can do this by measuring off one square portion of your roof and counting the number of hail impacts on it. These could be dents, cracks, bare asphalt or anything. Just be sure to document every single one, so you can have adequate proof for your damage claim.